Evaluating Caregiver Involvement in Primary Care-Based Brief Interventions for Adolescent Alcohol Use Problems

Summary

Intervention for mild severity alcohol use among U.S. teens is crucial, as alcohol is the most commonly used substance in this age group, yet few receive the necessary interventions. Primary care, where over 90% of youth regularly visit, is an ideal setting for identifying and addressing mild alcohol use disorder (AUD) through brief interventions like motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). However, for teens with mild AUD, a single brief session may not be sufficient, raising questions about the role of caregiver involvement. This study seeks to determine the most effective level of caregiver involvement-no involvement, a single live session, or an online self-paced program-in reducing alcohol use among adolescents with mild AUD in primary care settings. The study also explores the impact of these interventions on other outcomes such as substance use and psychosocial functioning, as well as the factors influencing treatment response. The results will guide the selection and implementation of effective, scalable interventions in primary care to address youth alcohol use disorders.

Conditions

• Alcohol Use
• Adolescent
• Mild Alcohol Use Disorder
• Mild Substance Use Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Teen Intervene - Adolescent Only

Teen Intervene (TI) is delivered over two or three, 45- to 60-minute sessions (2 teen sessions +/- 1 caregiver session) to reduce youth substance use, increase motivation for abstinence, and promote use of existing coping strategies. TI is an adolescent-appropriate adaptation of motivational enhancement therapy (MET), and includes a discussion of readiness to change, goal setting, personal feedback, a functional analysis of substance use, and a review of coping skills.

BEHAVIORAL

Teen Intervene with Caregiver Session

Teen Intervene (TI) is delivered over two or three, 45- to 60-minute sessions (2 teen sessions +/- 1 caregiver session) to reduce youth substance use, increase motivation for abstinence, and promote use of existing coping strategies. TI is an adolescent-appropriate adaptation of motivational enhancement therapy (MET), and includes a discussion of readiness to change, goal setting, personal feedback, a functional analysis of substance use, and a review of coping skills. In this condition, the caregiver session will address caregiver expectations around youth substance use and strategies for promoting positive youth behavior change including reduced substance use.

BEHAVIORAL

Family Check Up

Family Check-Up Online (FCU-O) is a self-paced, parent-driven, fully HIPAA compliant online version of the Family Check-Up (FCU), a brief intervention that integrates assessment, motivation-enhancement, and skill building to help parents effectively manage behavior and build positive relationships with their children aged 2-17 in order to reduce emotional and behavioral problems among youth.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

  collaborator OTHER

• Indiana University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Zachary Adams, PhD, HSPP · Indiana University

• Tamika Zapolski, PhD, HSPP · Indiana University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

17 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-08-19

Primary Completion

2028-09-30

Completion

2028-09-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations